Ceres City Council cancels appointment after concerns raised over divisive comments
The Ceres City Council unanimously rescinded the appointment of John Osgood on Monday after people urged officials to consider remarks they described as divisive and degrading.
Community members cited comments Osgood made on his Forgotten Liberty Radio podcast, including his repeated use of the n-word, as first reported by The Modesto Bee Editorial Board.
Samuel White-Ephraim, a chair of the Modesto-Stanislaus NAACP, commended the council’s decision and was among the several people who said Osgood should not represent Ceres. The council two weeks ago voted 3-1 to appoint Osgood to fill the District 4 vacancy left by Couper Condit’s resignation, but had yet to hold a swearing-in ceremony.
“The type of statements that he’s made toward females and toward people with a different pigmentation of skin than his goes to show the mental capacity of his mind,” White-Ephraim said after the meeting. “Racism is a sickness.”
Osgood, who is white, repeatedly used the n-word in a Feb. 8 podcast and called Councilwoman Linda Ryno the mayor’s “b----” in his March 10 episode. He named the Forgotten Liberty podcast in his application for the appointment and listed it in the community service section of his resume.
Mayor Javier Lopez requested the council consider rescinding the appointment and told The Bee both Osgood’s disrespectful comments about Ryno and threats against Councilman Bret Silveira upset him.
“I remained as calm and reserved as usual, but to hear the audio of Mr. Osgood saying the n-word hit me to the core and made my stomach turn at yesterday’s City Council meeting,” Lopez said in an email Tuesday. “If doing the right thing means taking criticism, then I have no problem with that. The uncomfortable conversation to rescind the motion had to happen to make sure we were making the right decision.”
Lopez added he supports free speech, but not inflammatory comments, actions or threats. The mayor initially voted against appointing Osgood during the Nov. 9 meeting, but said he wanted to avoid another special election after officials deadlocked on the District 1 seat earlier this year. Silveira cast the sole vote against Osgood’s appointment.
Others who urged the council to cancel the appointment included Renee Ledbetter, who like three other members of the public, recommended officials give Osgood a chance two weeks ago. Ledbetter said she was not aware of Osgood’s comments before The Bee and The Ceres Courier’s reporting.
Osgood did not immediately respond Tuesday morning to requests for comment by phone call and text. In a Nov. 10 interview with The Bee, Osgood defended his behavior in past council meetings, including one where he yelled to the point where Lopez told him to “stop disrespecting the council by screaming at us.”
Councilwoman Linda Ryno previously said Osgood shows passion and commitment to Ceres by regularly attending council meetings.
Wendy Byrd, president of the local NAACP, said Ceres and Stanislaus County deserve better leaders than Osgood.
“While Mr. Osgood did raise some good points about city government, it appears that he still lacks the temperament, cultural sensitivity, character and political judgment to be in a position of authority,” Byrd said during Monday’s meeting.
Ceres Council plans new appointment
To discuss filling the vacancy, the council will hold a special meeting on Dec. 6 at 4:30 p.m., four days before the deadline outlined by state law. If the council fails to make an appointment by Dec. 10, the city can hold a special election or potentially leave the seat vacant, City Attorney Tom Hallinan said.
The soonest the city could hold a special election is April 12, per a staff report. An appointee would serve until the November 2022 election, while the winner of a special election would serve until November 2024, per a staff report.
Lopez proposed directly appointing former Councilman Mike Kline to fill the vacancy during the Dec. 6 meeting. Staff said they will contact Kline after Silveira asked whether Kline has expressed interest again in representing District 4, which is in the southeast part of the city.
Kline ran for reelection last year against three challengers and lost to Condit, who won with 38% of the vote. Kline was first elected to the council in 2011 and voters reelected him in 2015.
Any other District 4 residents interested in filling the vacancy can email the city clerk or city manager before the Dec. 6 meeting, Hallinan said. The council did not give direction to reopen the application period for the appointment. Three people previously applied: Osgood, business owner Mohinder Kanda, and recycling manager Daniel Martinez.
Lopez and Silveira voted to appoint Martinez two weeks ago, but their motion failed. Ryno said she opposed appointing Martinez because the council recently appointed him to the planning commission.
People can participate in the Dec. 6 meeting about the appointment via Zoom or in-person at the Ceres Community Center.
